The beautiful Welsh railway line you can now walk

Follow the author of this article

The man across the aisle on the 15.32 from Llandeilo poured a cup from his thermos, sipping before he spoke. “The land’s level with the river here,” he said, looking out to the fields where silvery puddles glazed the tufty green. “After heavy rain it’s more like riding a catamaran than a train.”

He introduced himself: Hywel Jones, station volunteer, Heart of Wales Line Travellers’ Association member, rail buff; he rides the train at least once a week. “Every trip is an adventure,” Hywel told us, “no two journeys are the same.”

The Heart of Wales Line, which runs for 120 miles (193km) between Swansea and Shrewsbury, isn’t like other scheduled train services. This sedate, rural railway is often...

Register for free to read this article, or log in to your Telegraph account